Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Y.D. Nihal Jayathilaka is tipped to be appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development replacing P.B. Jayasundara, sources told Ada Derana.
Meanwhile it is also reported that Mrs Sudharma Karunaratne, who is the current Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation, will be transferred to the post of Health Secretary, filling the seat left vacant by Jayathilaka.
A series of crises had plagued the health sector in recent times while the midwifery training issue had been one of the main topics among the public and media.
Several trade unions affiliated with the health sector had engaged in strike action over the issue while this had resulted in patients facing many difficulties in hospitals across the island.
Trade unions in the health sector had strongly criticized certain decisions taken by Health Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayathilaka, which had led to the strike actions.
It is said that the cold war between the Health Secretary and the Director General of Health Services was one of the main reasons for the issues to reach the point of trade union action.
Under these conditions the Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena had requested Dr. Jayathilaka to leave the post of Health Ministry Secretary, a highly-placed source told Ada Derana.
Ada Derana yesterday reported that Sri Lanka’s powerful Finance Secretary Dr. Jayasundera is to be removed from his additional post of Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development.
Informed sources say that P.B. Jayasundera, who is also the Secretary to the Treasury and the Finance Ministry, will likely be removed from the position of Economic Development Secretary, in the wake of his ongoing conflict with Minister Wimal Weerawansa.
The vociferous Minister has on numerous previous occasions launched scathing attacks on Dr P B Jayasundera, and had even called him an “economic hitman.”
The Minister’s latest salvo came during the Derana 360° programme on May 12 when he charged that Jayasundera is holding the government “hostage” and that he should be behind bars.
Minister Wimal Weerawansa and several NFF members met President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Temple Trees yesterday, following an invitation extended by the President. They presented 12 proposals to the President.
